As educators, we are accustomed to seeing our students get anxious on occasion—it’s a normal, healthy reaction to being asked to perform. It gives students that jolt of adrenaline that drives them forward. Some take a breath and work through the feelings, and some need a bit more coaching. Some experience tears, but with a bit of one-on-one help and caring, they can experience great success and learn how to overcome their perceived limits. What about when that anxiety becomes a debilitating impediment to success, such as with true math anxiety?

What advice can neuroscience offer a parent who would like to prepare their child to be successful in school, career and life? Probably the most important advice is that success is a relative term that each parent must decide how to define.